Where did it all go wrong for Barcelona?

Pep Guardiola's Barcelona was considered the best team in Europe and, indeed, the world, but the remnants of that side are no longer.

Between 2006 and 2011, Barcelona won three Champions League titles, lost twice in the semi finals and once in the quarters.

In the six years that have followed, the team have won just once, eliminated three times in the quarter-finals and twice in the semis. There are various factors behind such a decline.

The years go by

In Wednesday's game, Barcelona lined up with eight players that started in the Champions League final against Juventus two years ago. The Italian team called upon just three. The Spanish club's spine has remained the same over the last two years, while their opponents were able to regenerate with youth and pace. And this intensity showed on the field of play.

Smaller signings

Barcelona have had two bad years of signings. Arda Turan, Aleix Vidal, Lucas Digne, Andre Gomes, Denis Suarez and Paco Alcacer are yet to truly serve the team and aid a revolution. Only Samuel Umtiti has reached what was expected of him. For a huge financial investment, more than 160 million euros, it has been a failure. And this is the responsibility of Robert Fernandez and Luis Enrique.

La Masia on standby

Due to a lack of strong signings, the regeneration process could have been able to come from La Masia, but it hasn't turned out this way at all. The excuse that the starting players are too good is now no longer. The best has been Sergi Roberto, who has been converted to a right-back, an experiment gone wrong. The absence of Victor Valdes, Carles Puyol, Xavi, Thiago and Pedro hasn't been filled.

Lacking intensity

Barcelona have lost the intensity that characterised them in years gone by. Guardiola's side were a lethal team in attack, but their pressure asphyxiated their opponent. This pressure now comes in dribbles. The team can't maintain the same tempo to overcome their rivals. Proof of their quality is shown when they can pull off heroic results such as the comeback against Paris Saint-Germain, but they can't maintain it throughout every match. And then come results such as the ones in Paris, Turin, the Champions League, at the Villamarin, Malaga and Deportivo in LaLiga.

The future

Barcelona could finish the season without a league title, and the Copa del Rey isn't enough to show for their efforts. The board have to take a hard look at how to face up to what comes next. All of the signs point to Ernesto Valverde taking up a seat on the bench, but changes to the squad will also be key. They lack a right-back, a centre-back and a central midfielder, and the club hasn't been very effective. They will have to sell to then buy.